The Role of Hesperetin in the Management of Diabetes Mellitus and Its Complications

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease which is a serious global problem. Many antidiabetic therapies focus on improving insulin sensitivity, increasing insulin production, and/or decreasing the level of blood glucose. Hesperetin is a flavanoid commonly found in many herbal medicines and food. Hesperetin seem to demonstrate adequate properties. Animal studies were carried out for 45days and at the end of 45 th day blood samples were collected and various biochemical parameters were measured using autoanalyser. They can inhibit enzymes involved in glucose metabolism, prevent the development of insulin resistance and normalize plasma glucose and insulin levels. This synthetic drug apart from producing a hypoglycemic effect has also been found to manifest hypolipidemic and anti-obesity activity. Hesperetin is also promising agents in the prevention of diabetic complications. They have strong antioxidant activity and inhibit the formation of advanced glycation end products, implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy, embryopathy, and neuropathy or impaired wound healing. Until now very few clinical studies have been concerned with the application of Hesperetin in treating diabetes. Our experimental findings with respect to the mechanism of action of synthetic compound in Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats suggest that it enhances insulin secretion by the islets of langerhans and enhances glucose utilization. However, due to their great therapeutic potential, these compounds deserve special attention.